Saying the tourism season is in danger of being lost again this summer, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada demands the federal government set a date to reopen the border.
It has launched a campaign, asking the public to write to their Members of Parliament.
The association said operators need to start rehiring and retraining staff and ramp up their marketing efforts to have a successful season.
"Many rely on advance bookings, and without a clear plan for reopening and a commitment to when it will happen, people are uncertain as to whether or not they can book activities," it said.
The association points to the case made by experts to revamp Canada's travel policy as vaccination rates go up and daily case numbers go down. Among the recommendations made, scrapping mandatory hotel quarantines.
"The land border closure was a blunt interment to help stop the pandemic, but the fact that people can fly to the U.S. to vacation without quarantining there, while a limited number of essential workers can cross the border never made sense," said President and CEO Beth Potter.
At the same time, the association is worried the federal government will end crucial support programs that have kept tourism operators afloat during the pandemic.
"It can't be both ways," added Potter. "Either continue to support tourism businesses through programs like CEWS and CERS or start reopening the border so businesses can get back to work."
Tourism contributes $105-billion to the Canadian Gross Domestic Product and one in ten jobs in Canada are tied to the industry.
